Milo

Luke

AUGUST 7

Reading 219

IN GOD’S TIME

Luke 1

“You will be with child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:31–32).God’s Spirit is active whenever the Lord is about to do a work in and for His people.

Overview

Luke stated his purpose (1:1–4), and immediately launched his history. He reported angelic visitations before the birth of John the Baptist (vv. 5–25) and Jesus (vv. 26–38). He told of Mary’s visit to John’s mother (vv. 39–45) and recorded her “Magnificat,” a hymn of praise (vv. 46–56). When John was born (vv. 57–66) his father, Zechariah, predicted his ministry as forerunner of Messiah (vv. 67–80).

Understanding the Text

“Eyewitnesses and servants of the Word” Luke 1:14.

Many believe that Luke had the opportunity to travel in Palestine and interview Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah, and others during the two years Paul was kept under arrest at Caesarea (cf. Acts 24:27). Luke himself said he “carefully investigated everything from the beginning,” indicating he searched out many sources and compared their accounts before writing. Luke wasn’t interested in passing on rumors or twice-told tales. He offered a factual, carefully researched study of Jesus’ life. Why? In sending this account on to Theophilus, to whom Acts is also addressed, Luke said he had written “so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” Jesus did live; Jesus did teach and perform miracles; Jesus did die and rise again. Just as this and the other Gospels say. So travel with Luke. Meet the people who actually knew Jesus, and hear their testimony about Him. As you do, you realize anew that our faith is rooted in reality, not in myths or legends. “But they had no children” Luke 1:5–7. The pain of childlessness was particularly acute in Israel, where this condition was also a source of shame. But note that the text stresses the upright character of both Zechariah the priest and his wife Elizabeth. Only then does it say, “But they had no children.” By linking their character with her condition, Luke makes it clear that Elizabeth’s barrenness was not a consequence of sin. He also reassures us. We too can experience suffering that has no relationship to personal sins. God, who had only good in mind for Zechariah and Elizabeth, and ultimately blessed them, will ultimately bless you and me too. “He was chosen by lot” Luke 1:9–12. The priests were divided into 24 groups, each of which served for a week twice a year at the Jerusalem temple. But the privilege of burning incense inside the temple was distributed by lot, and a priest might have this honor only once during his lifetime! Now, in Zechariah’s old age, at last the lot fell on him. Again we see that God’s blessings are often delayed. Though it’s hard, you and I too need to wait patiently for God’s timing. “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth” Luke 1:13–17. The angel that appeared to Zechariah conveyed God’s promise of a son, who would be the forerunner of the promised Messiah (v. 17). The account contains the first mention of the Holy Spirit, whose activity dominates this chapter (vv. 35, 41, 67). God had chosen that particular moment in history to personally intervene, to bring salvation to humankind. Note too the reference in each context to joy. John, filled with the Spirit, “will be a joy and delight to you” (v. 14). Elizabeth and her babe, also filled with the Spirit, “leaped for joy” when Mary “the mother of my Lord” came to visit. Neither Mary nor Zechariah could contain the overflow of praise as the Spirit worked in their lives (vv. 46–55; 67–79). As we open ourselves to God’s Spirit and surrender to Him, we too will discover a joy that bubbles over into praise. “Because you did not believe my words” Luke 1:18–25. Asking God for a special sign of confirmation can be right or wrong. In this case Zechariah’s request for a sign grew out of unbelief, and therefore was wrong. But notice that Zechariah’s unbelief did not cause God to go back on His word. Sometimes true believers like Zechariah have difficulty taking hold of the promises of the Lord. Don’t let others frighten you with the teaching that unless you believe, you will never benefit from God’s promises or receive His gifts. Many promises are unconditional, and depend on the faithfulness of God rather than on the strength of the believer’s faith. When you come across a promise in God’s Word, deliberate on how trustworthy God is, and simply thank Him for His gift. “Nothing is impossible with God” Luke 1:26–38. How fascinating to see a young girl, certainly not out of her teens, unhesitatingly accept Gabriel’s promise of a Virgin Birth. Zechariah, a godly and aged priest, had doubted the same angel’s promise of a far less wonder! Mary is certainly one of Scripture’s most appealing characters. She reminds us that finding favor with God and having faith in God do not depend on age, theological training, or high religious position. The youngest and the simplest of us can have a vital faith in God and be loved deeply by Him (see DEVOTIONAL). “What then is this child going to be?” Luke 1:57–66 The story of John’s unusual birth was told and retold for years in the hill country of Judea, where he was born. While Jesus grew up in obscurity, John was the focus of attention through childhood (v. 80). A Nazarite from birth, John wore his hair long and avoided wine, setting him apart from others (v. 15). This and the unusual events surrounding John’s birth may have been one means God used to stimulate the attitude of expectancy that did grip many in the first century, who were eagerly looking for the appearance of the Messiah. God not only prepared a place for His Son; He prepared the people who would be invited to trust Him. It’s helpful for us to remember this when we have an opportunity to witness. God will have already been at work, preparing the other person for what we have to share. “His father Zechariah . . . prophesied” Luke 1:67–79. Zechariah’s utterance is a prophecy: a prediction made by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As such it sums up the implications of all the events that Luke described in this first chapter. There’s a pattern here, with each statement of God’s action matched by praise for its benefits. God has come and redeemed His people (v. 68). God has raised up One of David’s house, able to save and so kept His promise to rescue from all enemies (vv. 69–71). God has performed a covenant-keeping act of mercy (vv. 72–73) and not only rescued us, but enabled us to serve Him “in holiness and righteousness . . . all our days” (vv. 74–75). As for John, he would be a prophet (v. 76), who went before the Messiah to give people “the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (v. 77). Earlier Gabriel had told Zechariah that John “will be a joy and delight to you” (v. 14). I know that nearly every child is a joy to its parents. But what a special joy, to know that our children will serve the Lord. There has been only one John the Baptist. But many a Christian parent has shared the joy of Zechariah, and seen children trust God, and then mature in faith.

DEVOTIONAL

The Mother of My Lord (Luke 1:26–55)

There’s a vast difference between calling Mary the “mother of my Lord,” as Elizabeth did, and the “mother of God.” In Jesus, God took on human nature, and that human nature was derived from His mother, Mary. God the Son, like God the Father, eternally existing, had no mother. In no way can His divine nature be attributed to Mary, who was merely a creature like you and me. It’s this that Luke seemed to emphasize in his lovely portrait of Mary. She was a creature, like you and me. But her unusual response to God sets us an example. Mary is an example of submission. “I am the Lord’s servant,” she said. “May it be to me as you have said” (v. 38). Mary knew full well what she risked as an unmarried woman: rejection by Joseph, the scorn and contempt of her neighbors. Yet Mary did not hesitate. She committed herself totally to the Lord’s plan for her life. Mary is an example of humility. Twice in that poem known as Mary’s “Magnificat,” she mentions her “humble state” (vv. 48, 52). Though to Mary alone was granted the privilege of being mother of the Messiah, the “One desired by women” (Dan. 11:37), she never became proud. Many men of Scripture through whom God worked succumbed later to pride. Mary, who had more to boast of than any of them, never lost her spirit of selfless dependence on God. Mary is an example of thankfulness. She responded to God’s touch with her whole soul and spirit, praising and exalting the Lord. She saw in God’s work in her own life evidence of His love for all His people, and was thrilled with God’s might, grace, mercy, and faithfulness. Today we should honor Mary, and thank God for her simple trust. But the best way to honor Mary is not to pray to her. Rather the best way to honor Mary is to model our own relationship with God on the traits she displayed. The acts of recognition of which Mary would approve remain the same: to readily submit to our Lord, to nurture a humble spirit, and to express our appreciation to God in praise, as Mary did so long ago.

Personal Application

Don’t pray to Mary. But do honor her, by following her example.

Quotable

“Humility is like a pair of scales; the lower one side falls, the higher rises the other. Let us humble ourselves like the blessed virgin and we shall be exalted.”—John Vianney

Luke

INTRODUCTION

This Gospel and the Book of Acts were written by the same person. Early tradition and internal evidence identifies the author as Luke, a physician and companion of Paul on many missionary journeys (2 Tim. 4:11). Luke was a careful historian, who interviewed eyewitnesses to establish the factual basis of Christian faith (Luke 1:1–4; cf. Acts 10:39). Yet Luke’s history is anything but dull. This Gospel is rich with sympathetic sketches of the people Jesus met and ministered to. Among them are more women, more children, and more poor, than are mentioned in the other Gospels. This rich and complex work presents Jesus not only as a historic and admirable Person, but also as the Saviour come to “seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). Other themes that are emphasized by Luke are Jesus’ prayer life and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Appropriately, expressions of joy and praise abound in this Gospel of the glory of God as disclosed in His Son (1:46–55; 2:13–14; 7:16; 10:21; 18:43; 19:37–38).

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I.	Introduction	Luke 1:1–4
II.	Birth and Childhood	Luke 1:5–2:52
III.	Preparation for Ministry	Luke 3:1–4:13
IV.	Galilean Ministry	Luke 4:14–9:50
V.	Teaching and Travels	Luke 9:51–19:44
VI.	The Final Week	Luke 19:45–24:53

AUGUST 6

Reading 218

HE IS RISEN Mark 15–16

“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him” (Mark 16:6).The ultimate act which proves the deity of Jesus, and the efficacy of His death, is the Resurrection that Mark and each of the Gospel writers report.

Overview

Pilate ordered Jesus crucified to satisfy a rioting crowd (15:1–15). Roman soldiers mocked (vv. 16–20) and then crucified Jesus (vv. 21–32). His death was witnessed by many (vv. 33–41), and He was buried (vv. 42–47). But later when women came to further anoint the body, they discovered an angel by an empty tomb (16:1–8). Later the risen Christ appeared (vv. 9–14), and commissioned His disciples to preach “everywhere” (vv. 15–20).

Understanding the Text

“The chief priests accused Him of many things” Mark 15:1–5. In most things the Romans were content to let subject peoples govern themselves. In Judea and several other provinces, the Romans at this time reserved the power of capital punishment for themselves. This caused a problem for the chief priests. Claiming to be the Son of God might be blasphemy and a capital offense to the Jews. But not to the Romans! So while they condemned Jesus for one crime, they had to manipulate Pilate into condemning Him for some other crime! They desperately tried to invent a capital crime—and when they could not, they relied on the threat of a riot to force Pilate’s hand. History tells us Pilate had no regard for the Jews he governed. But why ask for trouble at a time when Jerusalem was filled with fanatically religious pilgrims from all over the world? Pilate’s concern was simple. Not, is it right? But, is it expedient? Will it get me off the hook now? Whenever we face any moral choice we weigh factors very much like those Pilate considered. He knew the priests were simply envious of Jesus (v. 10). But it was easier to give in to them than to have to report another bloody riot in a city he governed. If we are repelled by Pilate, the man who ordered the crucifixion of our Lord, let us abhor his way of reaching a decision just as much. Let’s commit ourselves to do what is right, whatever the cost may be. “Barabbas” Mark 15:6–9. Pilate tried to manipulate the crowd by offering them either Jesus, the Teacher and Healer, or Barabbas, an insurrectionist “who had committed murder.” Apparently Pilate was shocked when the crowds chose Barabbas. He shouldn’t have been. One section of an 800-page report on youth suicide published in January 1989 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services blames Christian churches that condemn homosexuality for the suicides of gay youth. The report says churches must “reassess homosexuality in a positive context” and must “demand” a sympathetic attitude toward homosexual behavior. As always, the world cries for the release of Barabbas, and the crucifixion of Christ. Unless Christians raise their voices for the truth as loudly as others cry out for the lie, legislators will, like Pilate, act to satisfy the crowd. And Barabbas will run rampant in our land. “The whole company of soldiers” Mark 15:16–20. The soldiers stationed in Palestine at this time were not elite Roman troops, but auxiliaries recruited in some distant province. Today you can see in Jerusalem game boards many believe were carved in the stone floor of the ancient Praetorium, perhaps by the soldiers who mocked Jesus. The soldiers meant no particular harm. They were just bored. And Jesus was to die soon, anyway. Why not have a little fun? It may be hard for us to realize now, but beating Jesus was to them nothing more than a little entertainment. Even if Jesus had not been the Son of God—even if He had not been a caring Healer and Teacher—such brutality is horrible, and was horribly wrong. Anytime any human being is brutalized in any way, the one really mocked is not that individual, but the God whose image that individual shares. I’ve just seen a letter by the chairman of the Mennen company, targeted for a boycott by a group reacting against programs that emphasize violence and vulgar sex. The chairman decrys the boycott, and suggests offended viewers “simply stop watching the offending programs.” After all, it’s just entertainment. If it doesn’t appeal to you, why deprive those who do enjoy it? I suppose a soldier in the company that mocked and beat Jesus might have said much the same thing. “That bothers you? Well, just don’t look.” Let the mocking and the beating go on. Just look the other way. But we can’t. Christ’s own suffering at the soldiers’ hands reminds us that brutality is always horribly wrong. No one who truly cares for God or man can look the other way. “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon . . . was passing by on his way” Mark 15:21–32. I suspect that at first Simon was frustrated and angry when forced to carry Jesus’ cross. What he carried was actually the patibulum, or crossbar, that weighed only 30 or 40 pounds. It was nothing for a strong man, though for Christ, weakened by loss of blood from His beatings, even that was more than He could carry. The problem for Simon was that carrying the cross, an instrument of death, might make him ritually unclean, and unable to take part in the festival he’d traveled all the way from Cyrene, in North Africa, to share. How angry we feel when our plans go awry, or something we’ve struggled hard to attain is suddenly and unexpectedly lost. Yet later how thankful Simon must have been. For the mention of his two sons, included most likely because those sons were known by the Roman church for whom Mark wrote (cf. Rom. 16:13), suggests that later Simon became a Christian, and had the privilege of knowing that he alone, of all mankind, had ministered to Christ on the way to Calvary. When our plans are interrupted, we may feel the frustration and anger that almost always come. But when these feelings do come, let’s remember Simon. And let’s look around for someone whose burden we may be able to lighten. Just for a moment for them now, perhaps. But later on, for us a source of glory. “He has risen! He is not here” Mark 16:1–20. For all of Christ’s promises, His followers did not expect the Resurrection. It was a long time before the angel’s words sunk home. Even then Jesus had to appear to many before the little company of His followers began to believe. But when at last the disciples realized that Jesus was raised from the dead—that He was Lord—they shouted out a message of Good News that not only traveled like wildfire across the ancient world, but has kept on burning brightly for nearly 2,000 years. The last verses of Mark’s Gospel (vv. 9–20) are disputed. They are not in the best manuscripts, and some are fearful of the miracle-working power Jesus promised the disciples, even though Acts testifies of many a miracle in the early church. In any case, the words ring true. Jesus did show Himself, risen, to many. And the conviction that Jesus lives has propelled His church to go out, and to preach Him confidently. Everywhere.

DEVOTIONAL

Why? (Mark 15:21–41)

As Jesus died, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (v. 34) These words are undoubtedly the most mysterious in Scripture. It’s not that we can’t grasp what they mean. Some, of course, say the words reflect the pained surprise of a God-intoxicated man, who finally realized that God would not lift Him from the cross. But the New Testament gives us a better explanation. Paul said that Jesus was made “sin for us” (2 Cor. 5:21). In a moment of time, the dammed-up flood of human sin was released, and cascaded with awful force upon and into the Son of God. In that moment, when the Son of God became sin for us, the Father looked away. For the first and only time in all eternity, within the matrix of the one God, Father and Son were brutally torn apart. So we do know what the words mean. What we can never understand is what the experience they represent meant to Father and to Son. We can never plumb the depths of Jesus’ anguish, or sense the waves of pain that echoed out through all eternity. We can never envision the corrosive scars that sin engraved on sinlessness. All we can do is stand at the foot of the cross, hear that cry, and realize that what Jesus did for us cost Him more than we can begin to imagine. And say, “Thank You, Lord.”

Personal Application

The best thanks we can give is not framed in words, but in our lives.

Quotable

Thou has given so much to me, Give me one more thing—a grateful heart, Not thankful when it pleases me, As if Thy blessings had spare days, But such a heart Whose pulse may be Thy praise. -George Herbert

AUGUST 5

Reading 217

CRUCIFIXION EVE Mark 14

“The hour has come. Look, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners” (Mark 14:41).The events of the night before Jesus was crucified are detailed in each Gospel. However familiar, each retelling speaks powerfully to our hearts.

Overview

Jesus was anointed with expensive perfume in Bethany (14:1–11). He shared a final supper with His disciples in Jerusalem (vv. 12–26). Afterward Jesus predicted Peter’s denial (vv. 27–31), and prayed at Gethsemane (vv. 32–42) where He was arrested (vv. 43–52) and taken before the Sanhedrin (vv. 53–65). In the yard outside, Peter denied his Lord (vv. 66–72).

Understanding the Text

“She did what she could” Mark 14:1–11. While Mark is the shortest of the Gospels, it often provides more graphic eyewitness details than the others. That’s the case here. Mark alone reported that some (another Gospel says the disciples!) were “indignant” and almost abusive. Yet the woman’s gift was both an act of love and an act of faith. In a sense, it was also a confession of futility. “She poured perfume on My body beforehand to prepare for My burial.” Nothing could alter the tragic course events must now take. But, in love and faith, she did what she could for Jesus. Often we feel deeply frustrated by our inability to help those we love. If we only could, we’d change so much. The agony of a loved one’s divorce. The uncertainty of his unemployment. The anxiety of her illness. Perhaps one reason the “beautiful thing” this woman did for Jesus is to be remembered is to encourage us. Heartbroken, she could not do more; she did what she could. And it was a “beautiful thing.” Let’s do whatever we can for others. Out of love, and though hurting for them and hurting that it cannot be more. Jesus’ defense of the woman of Bethany assures us that when we do what we can, we do enough. “And found things just as Jesus had told them” Mark 14:12–16. Some commentators have seen in this story evidence that Jesus had already made arrangements for the Last Supper room with its owner. Certainly at this time of year Jerusalem was overcrowded; many pilgrims at major festivals were forced to camp outside the city walls. What we should see, however, is another indication that God was superintending the events that led to Jesus’ crucifixion. Simply because bad things happen to good people, we should never assume God has withdrawn His sovereign hand. So we take comfort in the “chance” meeting of the disciples with a man (rather than the usual woman) carrying a jar of water, and the empty upper room available in his house. From it we learn that “chance” has no place in the believer’s experience. What we experience is not the result of circumstance, but a wise and good distribution from our loving Father’s hand. “One by one they said to Him, ‘Surely not I?’ ” Mark 14:17–21 I like the hesitancy and doubt expressed in the shaken disciples’ question. Each seems to have looked deep within himself, and despite his commitment to Jesus, sensed weakness enough to make him wonder. Could it be me? It’s much safer for us to ask this question than to make the kind of bold assertion these same disciples did later that night. When Jesus predicted Peter’s denial, that apostle confidently cried, “I will never disown You.” And Mark adds, “All the others said the same thing.” When we sense our weakness, you and I cling to the Lord for strength. But when we are victims of foolish self-confidence, we venture out on our own, and surely fail. “Jesus took bread . . . and gave it to His disciples” Mark 14:22–26. John’s Gospel tells us that before this simple ceremony, Judas slipped out to complete arrangements to betray Jesus. The gift of bread and wine then, was consumed only by the disciples, even as the broken body and blood of Jesus are appropriated only by those who have faith in Him as Saviour. In this sense our celebration of the Lord’s Supper is more than showing forth “the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). It is also an affirmation of a shared discipleship: the statement by a family of believers that in a unique way we belong to each other, for Christ belongs to each one of us. Perhaps this is why there is no hint in Scripture that the Lord’s Supper is ever to be celebrated alone. He offered it to all of them. The sacred meal is to be shared, in affirmation that Jesus Christ unites us to all who trust in Him. “Stay here and keep watch” Mark 14:32–42. Again Mark expanded an account found also in other Gospels (see Matt. 26:36–46, Reading 209). Mark too recorded Jesus’ anguished prayer. But Mark seemed to emphasize the drowsy disciples. Yes, it was late at night. They were tired. But Jesus had shared His heart with them, expressing His deep distress. “My soul is overwhelmed,” Jesus said, choosing powerful terms. “Overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” And then Jesus made a simple request: “Stay here and keep watch.” The word for “watch” is gregoreite, an imperative. This was no mere request. It was an urgent command. And yet despite Jesus’ poignant appeal and urgent command, the exhausted disciples fell asleep. When Jesus returned He found them there, apparently lying on the ground (v. 42). Jesus did say, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (v. 38). But this was no excuse made for the dozing disciples. It was a warning. Knowing that the flesh was weak, the disciples should never have laid down in the first place! Moved by the urgency of Jesus’ appeal, they should have stood to watch and pray. What a word for us. We too are weak. When we hear Jesus speak so passionately of His desires for us, we, His modern disciples, need to recognize our weakness, and avoid situations in which we are likely to fall. If we lie down, sleep may overcome us. Therefore we must be even more careful to stand. “He broke down and wept” Mark 14:66–72. If you don’t feel sorry for Peter at this point, I suspect you may be the judgmental type. After all, Peter truly did love his Lord. And, of all the disciples, Peter was apparently the only one with the courage to track the mob, and try to find out what was happening to Him. Peter didn’t set out to disown Jesus: not at all. And when Peter finally realized what he’d done in swearing, “I don’t know this Man,” he was heartbroken. As Jesus later showed, folks who are heartbroken over doing wrong are to be comforted, not condemned. But if we don’t learn from Peter’s betrayal, you and I miss the larger point of his experience. It’s better not to disown Jesus, and have nothing to bemoan, than to shed the most heartfelt of tears afterward. A little faith, a little courage, and we will have nothing to regret.

DEVOTIONAL

No Justice (Mark 14:43–65)

Our nine-year-old has three words we hear quite often. “It isn’t fair.” Not that she’s right. It’s just her way of saying she doesn’t like something she’s asked to do, or supposed to do. But in a larger sense, she is right. Life in this world isn’t fair. And we shouldn’t expect it to be. Life certainly wasn’t fair in Jesus’ case. One of his closest friends betrayed Him. Together the “chief priests, elders and teachers of the Law” constituted the Sanhedrin, the supreme religious and legal court in Judea. Yet those responsible to administer law plotted to seize Jesus secretly, and dragged Him off to an illegal nighttime trial (vv. 43, 53). The same court, responsible to hear evidence, sought to manufacture it (v. 55), and even recruited false testimony (vv. 56–59). When Jesus affirmed His deity He was immediately condemned, even though the Law then called for a full day to pass in a capital case between a finding of guilt and sentencing (v. 64). No, there was nothing fair at all in the trial or conviction of Jesus Christ. He came, He healed, He taught of God the Father’s love, and after the mockery of a trial His enemies took delight in spitting on Him and striking Him with their fists. It’s something to remember when we feel life is unfair to us. Life in this sin-warped world has never been fair, even to the Son of God. The Apostle Peter, remembering that night and the following day, wrote, “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:20–21).

Personal Application

If you too suffer for doing good, it will not be fair. But it will be a blessing.

Quotable

“Suffering is a short pain and a long joy.”—Henry Suso

AUGUST 4

Reading 216

LAST-WEEK TEACHINGS Mark 12–13

“As He taught, Jesus said, ’Watch out for the teachers of the Law. . . . They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely’ “ (Mark 12:38–40).Confrontation is sometimes necessary. And at such times often blunt speech is required.

Overview

In the temple area, Jesus’ Parable of the Tenants exposed the religious elite (12:1–12), who then failed to trap Him with questions about taxes (vv. 13–17) and the resurrection (vv. 18–27). Jesus named the greatest commandment (vv. 28–34), and to the delight of the crowd silenced His attackers (vv. 35–37). A poor widow’s gift illustrated true piety (vv. 38–44). As Jesus left the temple, He predicted its fall and spoke of the end of the age (13:1–37).

Understanding the Text

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do?” Mark 12:1–9 The thrust of the allegory was clear to leaders and people. Isaiah had spoken of Israel as God’s vineyard, prepared just as in Jesus’ description (cf. Isa. 5:1–7; Mark 12:1). The situation was also familiar. In the first century most of Judea’s best land was owned by absentee landlords, who leased it to tenant farmers for a percentage of the crop. Much prime land was owned by Herod and his cronies. The fury of such people, should the tenants dare defraud them, could be easily imagined! Jesus’ story identified the current religious leaders as rebellious tenants, who wanted God’s vineyard for themselves. They would soon kill the Son. But they would be punished when the owner returned. The leaders knew Jesus had “spoken the parable against them” (v. 12). They might have taken it as a warning, and repented. Instead they tried even harder to find a way to be rid of Jesus. We need to see all Scripture’s warnings in this light. They are both invitation to repentance, and a stimulus to further sin. How we respond determines whether a warning will bring life, or kill. Let’s not follow the example of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. If we but heed Scripture’s warnings, they become channels of overflowing love and grace. “The stone the builders rejected” Mark 12:10–12. Here Jesus applied Psalm 118:22–23 to Himself. Though rejected by the “builders,” He Himself is the “capstone” of God’s building. The Greek word may mean “foundation-stone,” which anchors a building, or “keystone,” which completes an arch or building. The implication is the same in either case. Jesus is the foundation on which our understanding of Scripture must be constructed. He is the One who enables us to fit together Old and New Testaments in a harmonious whole. No one who approaches Scripture without faith in Jesus as the Son of God can hope to grasp its message, or use it successfully to build his or her own spiritual life. “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?” Mark 12:13–17 There’s more than a touch of irony in this story. Many Pharisees were well-to-do, and the Herodians especially had profited greatly from Rome’s domination of Judea. Neither group felt Rome’s taxation as a particular burden. It was the common folk who suffered. Note too that when Jesus answered the question, He had to ask for a denarius. And “they brought the coin.” Jesus’ answer has rightly been understood to call on believers to live as loyal subjects in earthly kingdoms (see Matt. 22, Reading 207). But the interplay also makes it clear that Christ’s accusers had failed to give “to God what is God’s.” We are to be good citizens of both kingdoms. But loyalty to God’s kingdom must have priority. “I am the God of Abraham” Mark 12:18–27. How completely can we trust Scripture? Here Jesus bases His whole argument on the tense of a verb! When God spoke to Moses He said, “I am the God of Abraham.” He did not say, “I was the God of Abraham.” If He had said “was” then God would have confirmed Abraham’s death. Since the Lord said “am,” He confirmed the fact that Abraham still lived! You and I can have total confidence in the trustworthiness of the Word of God. And we can find comfort in the knowledge that our loved ones are not lost, but alive with and in our God. “Not far from the kingdom of God” Mark 12:28–34. What is the Old Testament really about? How can its message be summed up? This question concerned the sages of Judaism, who attempted to sum up the 365 negative and 248 positive statutes they identified in the Old Testament. Hillel, challenged by a Gentile to make him a proselyte by teaching the whole Law while the Gentile stood on one foot, said, “What you hate for yourself, do not do to your neighbor: this is the whole law, the rest is commentary; go and learn.” Both the question and the answer reflect a works-righteousness understanding of the Old Testament, as did the common viewpoint that love and sacrifice (interpersonal duty and ritual duty) were the twin pillars on Old Testament thought. But when Jesus was asked to sum up the message of the Old Testament, His answer was, love God supremely, and your neighbor as yourself. And one of the teachers of the Law who heard Him agreed! What a lesson for us. No, not a lesson on the primacy of love, but a reminder that there were godly, spiritually sensitive men in first-century Judaism who were “not far from the kingdom of God.” It’s an error to stereotype all members of any group on the basis of the actions of a visible few. Let’s not characterize anyone by group membership, but let’s seek to know persons as individuals. We may be surprised to find what folks today are also not far from God’s kingdom. “How is it?” Mark 12:35–38 The great claim to spiritual superiority made by the “teachers of the Law” was that they had mastered both Scripture and the complex mass of traditional interpretations that had grown up around it. Ordinary folk, who lacked the time and resources needed to be devoted to study, were contemptuously dismissed as am ha eretz, just “people of the land.” It’s no wonder then that the crowds “listened to [Jesus] with delight” as He raised a question that the experts could not, or dared not, answer. Somehow most people recognize hypocrisy and shame when they see it. The person who is proud of his knowledge of Scripture, but fails to live a righteous and loving life, fools no one but himself. It is far more important for you and me to live what we learn than to be masters of Bible trivia, or even to be theologians of note. “Watch out for the teachers of the Law” Mark 12:38–44. Most preachers today tend to be relatively poor. In the first century, most “teachers of the Law” were well off. For instance, we know of one wealthy rabbi, who not only owned vast lands but also ran a shipping business, who after the fall of Jerusalem was regularly given the tithe to be set aside for the Levites by his neighbors. He didn’t need the money. But it was considered a good deed in early Judaism to contribute to a person who spent his life in study. Jesus warned against those teachers of the Law who paraded themselves openly, whose prayers were a pious show, and whose greed was so great they would “devour widow’s houses”—take money from those who were proverbially needy. Such men, Jesus said, “will be punished most severely.” For contrast Mark immediately reported an incident in which Jesus praised a woman who freely placed her last coins in the treasury. What a study in values. The greedy rich man, who always wanted more, and the poor widow willing to give all. The “great man” viewed with respect by society, and the insignificant woman, held in high regard only by God. While you and I may be neither rich nor poor, our choices are likely to be governed by the values expressed by one of these two. Which of the two will we choose to be most like?

DEVOTIONAL

Troubled Times (Mark 13)

Sue said it yesterday. “I think the Lord must be coming soon.” She’d been reading in the paper about drugs, and about students bringing guns to school. Then she got a letter from a friend of ours who counsels sexually abused children and does therapy with the abusers. In the letter our friend mentioned two especially terrible situations. One involved two gay mothers, Satan worshipers, who prostitute their six children for crack cocaine! That was the last gloomy straw for Sue. The Lord must be coming soon, she felt, with our society becoming so corrupt. Mark 13, a complex apocalyptic passage that draws a grim portrait of the future, tells us to expect tragedy and suffering in this world. We’re not to be alarmed by wars or natural disasters (vv. 7–8), or by the corruption of society (v. 12). It’s not these things, but the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy by Daniel, that signifies the end is near (v. 14). And after that, things will get even worse (vv. 15–23). There are, however, three things in Mark 13 intended to encourage us. First, Jesus forewarned us. He knew the terrible things that would happen. God isn’t surprised, and He retains control of history. Second, we’re encouraged by the promise of God’s presence. Even when Christians are actively persecuted for their faith, the Holy Spirit remains with us (v. 11), and will deliver those who endure (v. 13). Third, and most important, Jesus will come again “with great power and glory” (v. 26). In the end, God will set things right. And we’re told to wait, and watch (vv. 33–35). So in a way, Sue rightly interpreted current events. Not that they are predictors of when Jesus will come back. But the horrors we experience remind us that we cannot look to this world for our future. We must look up. And watch.

Personal Application

“What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (Mark 13:37)

Quotable

“The truth of the second coming of Christ transformed my whole idea of life; it broke the power of the world and its ambition over me, and filled my life with the most radiant optimism even under the most discouraging of circumstances.”—R.A. Torrey